Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 8513, William Fortune, Va.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Va.
Fortune, William
S. 8513
CONTENTS
carded

12.188
North Carolina
William Fortune of Macon in the State of N.C. who was a Pvt: — in the — command by Captain — of the Reg't command by Col: Lindsley in the N.C. Star line for 6 months —
★ Va. Line Nov. 17/84. Records corrected
Inscribed on the Roll of N. Carolina - at the rate of 20. Dollars — Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 3 rd — day of April 1833 and sent to Rec'd — Fortune. Asheville. N.C.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 40 — Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept — 10 —
50 —
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Nathan Rees — Clerk Book ee Vol. 6 Page 40

Dear Fortune
19128
and the ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

State of North Carolina Bladen County - On the 12 day of October 1832
personally appeared William Forster in open court before the honorable judge of the Superior Court of Law and Equity being a court of record now sitting for the County of Bladen and after being duly sworn saith he is a resident citizen of the County & State aforesaid aged about seventy six years - do make the following declaration in order to obtain a pension under the act of congress passed June 7 th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States immediately after the declaration of Independence under the following name officers & served as here stated has first term in the service of the United States he volunteered under Capt. James  James the Regiment commanded by Major Lewis Colonel James in Albemarle County State of Virginia & was marched to Hampton where he was he was stationed to keep garrison for something like two two months from which place he was discharged & returned home Shortly afterwards he drafted under the company commanded by Captain Mast Leak in the 1 st Regiment of Infantry commanded by Col Lindsay in County state aforesaid and was employed for about three weeks in skirmishing and reconnoitering the position occupied by Lord Cornwallis until we were reinforced by Genl Wayne forces which forces was commanded by the Marquis de La Fayette and was in the engagement with the British troops at old at James Town which engagement was commanded by Genl Wayne from which place he was discharged marched to a place called Hobbs Hill & then stationed after which he was discharged & went home Next term - he was employed by the order of General Washington to assist in erecting the Barracks at Ivey Creek in Albemarle County State of Virginia, summoned & subsided before us And soled C.S. William his Forster mark

He further declares he has no documentary evidence by which he can prove any part of his services and knows of no person whose testimony can prove who can testify to his services
I hereby relinquish any claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declare that my name is not on any pension list of any agency of any state
When & in what year were you here I was here in Albemarle county State of Virginia in the year 1756
Have you any record of your age if so where is it He has no record of his age in his possession
Where are you living when called into service & when have you since the war and when do you live now? I live in Albemarle County State of Virginia I remove to county of Bedford County South Carolina and I now live in the county of Bedford State aforesaid
How are you called into the service were you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute for whom? I volunteered the first time & the second time I was drafted
State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served such as Colonel & Major Regiments as you recollect and the general circumstances of your services
I know Genl Washington Genl M c Le ay ette and Genl Wayne Genl  Washington  Wayne
did you ever receive a discharge from the service if so by whom was signed & what has been of it
I received a written discharge signed by Col Lindsey which I have long since lost

State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighbourhood who can testify to your character for veracity and truth and your service as a soldier in the revolutionary war
I am known in my present neighbourhood by the Revd Humphrey Posey and Joseph Welch Esqr
Rev Humphrey Posey and clergyman residing in the County of Macon State of North Carolina & Joseph Welch residing in said county and State do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Fortune who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy five years of age that he is a patriot & believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the Revolution that we concur in that opinion sworn to in open court -
Sworn to & subscribed in open court this 10th Oct 1832
Humphrey Posey Joseph Welch
Wm Powell Clerk
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interroga- tories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Humphrey Posey who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the County of Macon, and that Joseph Welch who has also signed the same is a resident in the said County, and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I Silas M. Dowd, Clerk of Superior Court of Macon County, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings in the matter of the application of William Fortune for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of my office this 12th day of October 1832.
Wm Powell Clerk

No 19428
William Fortune Macon County North Carolina
Alms or parable for 6 mo — $20.00 Col. Linisley N.C.
Richard E y Fortune Asheville N.C.

BRIEF in the case of  William Fortune  County of Macon  in the State of  North Carolina  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 76 years  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     Vol In 17 — 2 — private Gen. Wayne   drafted — 3 — " Capt Jones at Wilmington   " — 1 — " Capt Leak Col Lindsay   Gen Washington  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? at Old James Town, Albemarle Co. Va.  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Macon County NC  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditional  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
[Signature] Examining Clerk.

Rev. and 1812 Wars Section.
March 31, 1927
Mrs. Thelma F. Hutson 2520 Chamberlain Ave Chattanooga, Tenn
Madam:
I have to advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 8513, it appears that William Fortune was born in 1756 in Albemarle County, Virginia.
While residing in said Albemarle County, he enlisted "immediately after the Declaration of Independence" and served two months in Captain James' Virginia Company, he served three months in Captain Mast(?) Leak's Company, Colonel Lindsay's Virginia Regiment, and was in the battle of Jamestown, and afterwards served one month, no officers stated.
He was allowed pension on his application executed October 12, 1832, while a resident of Macon County, North Carolina.
There is no data on file as to family.
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT Commissioner.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of William Fortune which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? — IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? Yes VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? Yes

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? yes XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? no proof Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? yes XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? no knowledge XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? all answered
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: "Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV.  Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

Mar. 26, 1927.
Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D. C.
Gentlemen:
About a month ago I wrote your office asking for information concerning one William Fortune, Private, Revolutionary War. As yet I have received no reply. His name

is listed among the North Carolina records in our Public Library, as having received a pension for his services in the Revolution. No doubt you have something on file in your office or know from whom I may learn something about his war record.
I will appreciate any information you have to offer me as I would like very

much to know something about him or his family. I am anxious to become a D. A. R.
Thanking you in advance, I am Very respectfully
Mrs. Thelma Fortune Hutson 2520 Chamberlain Ave., Chattanooga, Tenn.

1927 mch 31 - Hied to Mrs. Thelma J. Hite-Russ
Rehras
8573
INVALID.
File No. 8513
William Fortusse
Priv. Rev. War
Act: June 7th 1932
Index:—Vol. 102, Page 129
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Nov. 28 th
M. G. 19428
South
Levi Cab.
University of Penn Philadelphia City
see

fee
Nov. 28. 1942
Mr. G. B. V
Louis B.
Secretary of War Washington City D.C.

Asheville, N. Carolina 17th Novr. 1832
Hon. L. C. Chap,
Dear Sir,
I enclose you the Declaration of William Horton for a Pension under the Cato act of Congress. I believe the Declaration and certificates are in due form, subject however to any suggestions from the Department. The applicant is very old and infirm, and hopes his claim will be investigated at the earliest convenience of the Department. any communication on the subject will be addressed to this place, as I have agreed to forward the Declaration for the old man, and give it attention as may be necessary.
Yours, very Respectfully.
Richd. C. Horton
Hon. L. Chap. — City of War.